Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Mother's Day Items and more Up for Bids!

Mother's Day approaches! Order your items now and avoid the last minute rush. We're listing some great collectibles. Choose from vintage dolls, glassware and more!

Plus, buying here helps make hope happen for others. Our nonprofit serves victims of domestic and sexual violence online and in the rural East Tennessee area that we serve. Your purchase helps distribute Angel Food boxes, restore the lives of juvenile offenders and helpsl us provide other services in Strawberry Plains, TN.

What better way to show mom you care this Mother's Day? Check out our listings soon before all the great items disappear! Our eBay/Mission Fish site is http://www.missionfish.org/NPMMF/nphomepage.jsp?NP_ID=2110

Mission Fish is the nonprofit side of eBay. All charities listing via Mission Fish have been checked and found to have been certified as tax-exempt by the IRS.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Marbledale Youth Makes Hope Happen

http://www.marbledalebaptist.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=39679

We were visited by a great youth group Saturday morning. Marbledale Baptist Church youth came, saw and plowed right in. What a great group of kids! We were very impressed with the quality of the work and with their hearts for serving.

Thanks to their labors, under the leadership of Danny and Gina Neal, our thrift shop looks really spiffy right now.

You should come visit and see the job the kids did. When you do, you'll be as proud of them as I am!

Thanks Marbledale Youth!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Angel Food at Hope for Healing.Org

Don't forget to pick up your Angel Food boxes. Distribution is at 10:30. Helping today will be the youth of Marbledale Baptist Church and other volunteers. Bring a large cooler or box if you have one. Most of the food does come in frozen. If you've not come before you may want to see our clip on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB93QzdGidk

This short little video shows what type of foods you get in a box and you'll get a good idea of what to expect when you come.

See you later today!

Gayle

Friday, April 25, 2008

Baileyton UMC Comes Through Again!

When the folks at Baileyton UMC make a commitment to help they go beyond the extra mile! Today they arrived with two truck loads full of clothing, accessories, household items and more. They had a yard sale fundraiser. Some things didn't sell. Those items that did not were loaded up and delivered to us.

We, and our clients, appreciate their generosity.

Again, we couldn't do it without you.

Our hats are off to Baileyton UMC and to all the people there!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Secondhand Hope Available on Amazon.Com!

Taken from the lives of clients served at Hope for Healing.Org, Secondhand Hope, is now available on Amaon.Com. You'll hear about the story of a five year with a broken smile - and how we fixed it. You'll hear about a homeless kid who wanted to go to the prom and more. You'll laugh. You'll cry. Most of all, you'll receive hope, secondhand.

Proceeds benefit Hope for Healing.Org.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Wal-Mart Gives $500 to Make Hope Happen!


Thank you Wal-mart in Jefferson City! We appreciate the $500 matching grant. This amount was matched with funds raised during our Mardi Gras fundraiser in February.

Pictured are Mike, Wal-mart assistant store manager, and Gayle Crabtree, Executive Director of Hope for Healing.Org.

We are glad to have Wal-mart partnering with us on this fundraiser. The money will be used to help us meet program expenses. Thank you for helping us make hope happen in Strawberry Plains!

Recycling at Hope for Healing.Org!

Happy Earth Day!

Did you know that you can support Hope for Healing.Org and help the environment too? Donated used ink jet, fax and toner cartridges and old cell phones are sold to a recycler. The proceeds help us meet program expenses. Plus, it means less waste in our lanfills.

Used household items, aluminum cans, shoes and clothing helps too.

We have four streams of use for used clothing, purses, belts - even stinky tennis shoes!

Clothing, shoes and accessories are given to needy people in the area. When we get a referral from a school, pastor or other agency we respond out of stock on hand. Kids get shoes. People get clothing for work and other needs are met.

The next choice is the thrift shop. Clothing and household items are sold to raise money for our program. This keeps our lights turned on and the phone working. (Depending on quality or uniqueness some of this may go on our eBay site!) Thanks to people like you, we have a great selection!

Sometimes we get something we don't need. When this happens the clothing is sold at a bulk rate to an area recycler. Again, the money keeps our programs going. It also provides affordable clothing to third world countries. Haiti and Belize are two countries who receive used bulk clothing.

Have you seen our Hope Products? They are all recycled products.

We strive to recreate items that are not sellable to make them new again. One example is found is the cute denim bag I carry. This was once a pair of jeans. The knees were out but they were otherwise useable. With the help of one of the kids from Restorative Justice we recreated those old jeans into a functional, trendy purse. Her self-esteem soared when she learned a new skill!

What could be cooler than that?

How about re-melting odds and ends of candles to make new ones? Or how about refinishing furniture?

Still not convinced? Then, you should have been here when we made mirrors.

Someone gave us a stack of old picture frames. The glass was broken but the frames were good. The next item to come in that day was a broken mirror. We put them together with astounding results! With the help of elbow grease, wood sealer and a little know-how we recreated the frames into great mirrors.

Then there's all those aluminum cans that we collect. Scrap metals and non-working appliances go to a recycler and generate income too.

Some people get to celebrate Earth Day one day a year. We get to celebrate it for 365 days.

You can get involved too. We'll be glad to give you a collection box for cell phones, ink jets or aluminum cans. To collect cell phones you don't have to be local. We can provide boxes with shipping labels attached. Place the box in the common area of your church. Wait until it fills with at least 30 items. Then call the shipping company for a free pick-up. When they arrive just hand them box. Then, email us so we can send you another box. It's quick and easy.

If you're having a yard sale we'd love to come get your leftovers. (Of course, if you want to bring them to us that's fine too.)

Hope for Healing.Org is the only 501c3 nonprofit serving all of Strawberry Plains, TN. Our services include free clothing and household items for the less fortunate, Angel Food distribution, Restorative Justice, referrals and support for victims of domestic violence. We also maintain a top-ranked webpage and meet other needs on a case-by-case basis.

There are lots of easy ways to recycle with Hope for Healing.org. Getting started is easy. Call us at 865.933.8679 today! Or, email hopeinfo@hopeforhealing.org for your collection box.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Hill's Union, Burchfield Memorial UMC - Thank you!

We have clothes! Many thanks to Burchfield Memorial United Methodist Church in (Sevier County) and to Hill's Union United Methodist Church (Chestnut Hill)! When they found out the van is down they pitched in and delivered truckloads of clothing.

Wow! Do we appreciate it! We're hard at work getting everything sorted and tagged. Their generosity combined with your shopping is just what we need to get the van fixed. Be sure to come by to check it out!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Van Problems Impact Pick Up Schedule

They're working on it as fast as they can. We hope to have the van back up and running tomorrow. Pray for us that it will be something very small.

Thanks for your patience!

SPUMC Pastor is proposed to be leaving.

You've probably heard the scuttlebut floating around the community. It's true. Pastor John is proposed to be leaving Strawberry Plains United Methodist Church to accept another appointment in June. The announcement was made by the PPR chair during the Sunday morning worship service yesterday.

While either the church or the pastor may initiate a move, nothing is final until after Annual Conference.

We want to reassure everyone that the services provided by Hope for Healing.Org will remain the same, or expand, during this transition. While we are not now, nor have we ever been, a part of Strawberry Plains United Methodist Church, we have enjoyed a close working relationship.

To serve clients better, we will relocate all of our current services to our new address of 3130 W. Old AJ Hwy., Strawberry Plains, TN 37871.

Hope for Healing.Org looks forward to serving and being a part of the community for many years to come. If you've not checked out our new space yet please stop by. We think you'll be pleased!

We look forward to see you!

Gayle

Friday, April 11, 2008

Angel Food

Don't forget. Saturday, April 12 is the last day to order Angel Food for this month. The basic box is only $30.00. Distribution Date is April 26. This will be from our new location in downtown Strawberry Plains. Contact us for more information.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Marbledale Baptist Youth In Mission

We love volunteers! On Saturday, April 26 we look forward to the visit from the youth at Marbledale Baptist Church. They'll be sorting, tagging, folding, stuffing, pinning ribbons and doing lots, lots more! Plus, it's Angel Food Distribution Day. What a great day to come and be involved in the community!

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Speaking at Carson Newman College

What a great group! Thanks to Mrs. Jennifer Catlett for your invitation. I appreciated the opportunity to share with your RAD (Rape Agression Defense) class. It's definitely something that every woman should take. What a terrfic opportunity for these young women. You go girls!

Monday, April 07, 2008

Hope for Healing.Org a WI-FI Hotspot!

You asked. We listened. Hope for Healing.Org is now a WI-FI Hotspot!

Bring your laptops and come on down! It's available after school until 5:00 pm and all day on Saturdays. Have a seat at one of our outdoor tables. Enjoy fresh air, sunshine and wireless.

If you get thirsty we have canned Cokes, Diet Cokes, Coke Zero and bottled water available for .60 each.

So why not come on in. Shop our thrift store for awhile. Sit awhile. Watch the traffic go by and surf the internet.

We'll see you soon!

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Mission Madness Month

April is Mission Madness Month
in the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church

Rev. Dan Gray, Coordinator of Youth Ministries writes:

The CCYM is encouraging all youth groups in the Holston Conference to perform a service project at some point in the month of April. Of course you can always do more than one in April and any other month as well. We just thought it would be awesome if every Youth group in Holston did at least one service project the same month. Your youth group gets to decide what, when, and where you do it. Write to us at umyouth@holston.org to let us know what, when and where you did your service. Send us a digital picture, too, and we'll put your Mission Madness experience on our web site.

Hope for Healing.Org is a wonderful place for your youth group to serve!
We offer the following opportunities:

Thrift Shop - Learn about retail experience from the inside out. Kids can sort, fold, hang and tag clothing. This is a project with a worldwide outreach. Overflow clothing or clothes we can't use are sold for bulk. This provides 3rd world countries with affordable clothing and helps us meet expenses.

Angel Food Saturdays - a great outreach! Kids are needed to unload the truck, set up tables and distribute food boxes.

Restorative Justice - takes place on Angel Food Saturdays. Work side by side with a first time juvenile offender. Show Christ's love by example.

Outreach events - One day, action oriented events.

Fundraising help - Dates vary. Serve food, run games, distribute awareness cards or more! Our next fundraising service date is Saturday, May 10 at our new location.

Hope Products - create sellable products from cast-off items. Turn candle scraps into candles, old blue jeans into trendy handbags, refinish furniture, give new life to dingy tees by tie-dying them. Lots of fun! Proceeds from items sold help us meet expenses.

Need a project to go? We've got those too!

Host a used cell phone or ink jet drive.
Pin ribbon awareness cards for domestic violence or sexual assault awareness month.
Fold brochures.
Staple info packets.
Host a used clothing drive.
Collect aluminum cans.
Stuff envelopes.
Hold a postage stamp drive.

Just pick these items up, get them to your youth group and bring them back. What could be simpler?

Does something sound like a good fit for your group? Contact us today! We'd love to talk with you about making hope happen in Strawberry Plains! Email gayle@hopeforhealing.org.